In endurance sports, how well you can execute on race day is critical to the success of your performance. Execution is especially important in longer events, where mistakes can compound quickly. To improve your race day performance, use these 5 execution strategies from Strobe Training Glasses @ Strobe Sport to help you prepare and race smarter.

Techniques to reduce pre-race performance anxiety

While it's natural to feel nervous before a race, you can reduce your levels of anxiety by recognizing the cause of your anxiety. Often, this anxiety stems from a fear of failure or under-preparedness. By identifying what is causing your anxiety, you can work to minimize it and eliminate it from your race day.

Performance anxiety is often referred to as "choking." Choking is the inability to perform well in athletic competition because of a feeling of extreme stress. This is particularly true on race day, when athletes face high expectations and an audience. It is often caused by an athlete's self-talk, which contributes to feelings of stress and anxiety. By understanding the underlying causes of this anxiety, you can use sports psychology techniques to modify your thoughts and ensure that you deliver a perfect race day execution.

A technique that top athletes use to reduce their anxiety is mental visualization before a race. Runners can use visualization techniques to see the race course in their minds and acclimatize their body to the environment. For instance, Mark Plaatjes, who won the gold medal at the 1993 World Championships marathon, mapped out the undulations on the course in advance. This helped him have confidence in his performance and avoid self-doubt.

Mental toughness skills in triathletes

While training for triathlons, mental toughness is an important part of the process. Mental toughness is important because it helps you keep going when things get tough. Many athletes work themselves into a state of anxiety before races. Having the proper mental training can help you stick it out and avoid this common mental trap.

While it's important to train physically to improve mental toughness, athletes should also focus on rest and recovery. An athlete's PB performance is often a reflection of their mental toughness. While many athletes believe they can achieve great results by training at maximum effort, these results often reflect a lack of discipline and a clear sense of training goals. Developing the right mental toughness skills is vital to achieving perfect race day execution.

Achieving mental toughness skills is not easy, but it can be done. One way to develop these skills is to practice running. For example, if you normally run at the end of a long day, try to run in the morning or later in the day. Doing this daily will train your mind to accept unpleasant experiences.

Embrace the pre-race jitters

Performance anxiety is a normal, healthy reaction to a race or a meet. However, it's important to channel it in a positive way to improve focus on race day. To do this, you must be aware of the common causes of pre-race jitters and try to eliminate or alleviate them as much as possible. For example, you should try to increase your heart rate during your warm-up to achieve your lactate threshold, which can help you overcome anxiety. Also, remember to talk to yourself and tell yourself that you're excited and ready to race.

In addition, you should take time to focus on preparing mentally for the sports. This will prevent you from becoming distracted or losing focus on race day. Mental fatigue has been shown to negatively affect performance, so taking a few hours to mentally prepare yourself can help you focus on the race ahead.

Practice visualization techniques to reduce race day nerves

Practicing visualization techniques before a race is an excellent way to reduce race day nerves. The key is to make the visualizations realistic and use all of your senses. Start with the last few minutes before the start of the race, then move on to the early miles, middle segments, and the finish line area. While you're visualizing, keep track of the different signals with training equipment your body gives you, such as breathing rate, heart rate, and leg sensations.

Before starting your visualization exercises, prepare your environment. Make sure the room is calm and distraction-free. You may also want to remove any heavy jewelry and restricting clothing. Next, find a comfortable seat or lay down in a comfortable position. Once you've done this, focus on breathing deeply and slowly.

Visualization techniques can help you prepare for any possible scenario. Whether you're racing alone or in a new stadium, practicing these training equipment can help reduce the stress you'll feel on race day. You can practice these techniques for up to ten minutes each day.